A Team makes high school drug busts

Nevertheless, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department is calling “Operation A Team,” in which deputies partnered with three local school districts for undercover narcotics operations, a success.

During the course of the year-long operation, deputies posed as students at Poway, Mission Hills, Abraxas (Poway), and Ramona High Schools, and were able to buy drugs at each campus with the exception of Abraxas, a continuation school for youth who have experienced difficulties in traditional high schools.

Drugs purchased during the operation included marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and the prescription pharmaceuticals oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Yesterday (April 30), authorities served 19 arrest warrants related to drug sales, arresting six juveniles and ten adults in connection with alleged drug sales to undercover deputies. Three adults – Troy Gagliano of Poway, Erik Johnson of Poway, and Jesus Zurita of San Marcos were still outstanding as of Tuesday afternoon.

“Operation 'A' Team has provided intelligence on larger drug suppliers in the area. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department and NTF are pursuing these leads and will continue the investigation,” said Sheriff Bill Gore in a release. “The take-away from today is this: If you want to buy illegal drugs, you very well could be talking to a Deputy Sheriff.”